“In stark terms, hundreds of millions of people will die - and countless species become extinct - because of eight more years of US inaction.” – Jeffrey Severinghaus, PhD

January 22, 2017 (San Diego) – One of the world’s top climate scientists is speaking out to denounce President Donald Trump’s energy plan and warn of its dire consequences for humanity. Jeffrey Severinghaus, PhD from Scripps Institute of Oceanography in San Diego actually measures the ice cores in Antaractica and Greenland.

“This is sad, and tragic,” Jeffrey Severinghaus, PhD, told East County Magazine after we sent him a copy of the energy plan posted at Whitehouse.gov by the Trump administration and informed him that climate change has been removed from the issues page at the White House website, along with all data on climate science previously posted there.

Severinghaus warns bluntly, “We as a species cannot afford four more years—or eight, of delay on climate action. The stakes are simply too high.”

Seven new proposals would bring EV charging to the airport, local port, delivery fleets, taxi/rideshare, Park-and-Rides and residences

Source: SDG&E

January21, 2017(San Diego) – America’s transportation sector is the top source for producing harmful carbon emissions and in San Diego it accounts for more than half of all carbon emissions. Aiming to help solve the problem, today SanDiegoGas & Electric (SDG&E) filed a series of proposals with the California Public Utilities Commission to install tens of thousands of electric charging stations in new, key areas to encourage the transition to zero-emission electric vehicles (EVs), trucks, shuttles, and delivery fleets, among other areas.

January 17, 2017 (Washington D.C.) – In a confirmation hearing today before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Representative Ryan Zinke, Donald Trump’s nominee for Secretary of the Interior testified, “I want to be clear about this: I am absolutely against the transfer or sale of public lands.”

January 17, 2017 (Sacramento) --In an effort to further safeguard California’s water quality, K-12 schools in the state can receive free testing for lead under a new initiative announced today by the State Water Resources Control Board.

January 16, 2017 (Oakland) -- Martin Luther King Jr. Day has deep significance for many Americans this year with the fulfillment of what some thought an impossible dream: a black president serving two terms in office. Now, the Obama administration's last days have been marked by grand gestures - including a call for public lands agencies to be more inclusive in hiring practices and community outreach.

January 15, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) – Californians legalized sale of recreational marijuana with Prop 64. But farmers can’t grow cannabis commercially unless they receive a permit from their city or county.

Dam upgrades slated to begin at Lake Morena in 2018, but there’s no guarantee water levels will ever be restored

By Miriam Raftery

January 12, 2017 (Lake Morena) -- Even after heavy rainfalls doused our region, three East County Reservoirs remain at very low levels. As of January 9th, Lake Morena is at just 2.1 percent of capacity, Barrett Lake is att 5.5 percent, and Sutherland 7.3 percent of capacity, according to the City of San Diego.

These are the only local reservoirs not connected to the State Water Project system of canals and aqueducts, thus they are solely dependent on rainfall which has not been enough to replenish large quantities pumped out by the City of San Diego to meet its thirst for water.

Photo: Cedar Creek Falls in Cleveland National Forest, located in San Diego’s East County

January 8, 2017 (San Diego) – San Diego Republicans Duncan Hunter and Darrell Issa joined with the House Majority in voting for a rules change would allow giveaway of federal lands to states, local governments, or tribes. Potentially, such giveaways could include national parks such as Yosemite or the Grand Canyon. It also encompasses all other public lands; here in San Diego these include Cleveland National Forest, federal recreation areas and national wildlife preserves.

January 2, 2017 (San Diego) – The National Marine Fisheries Service is asking for public help to save black and white abalone from disappearing forever along the coast of California and Baja Mexico—the only places in the world where they are found.

January 1, 2017 (La Mesa/Mt. Helix) -- I have very active hummingbird feeders and have noticed a few birds with tumors on their beaks (see photo). I have been in contact with a specialist at the University of California-Davis Vet Med Center about this, and she had some suggestions on how to help them. The hummingbirds probably have avian pox, which is contagious - to birds only, not humans - and can spread through the feeders we all have in our yards.

January 1, 2017 (McCain Valley) – Road widening in anticipation of construction of the Tule Wind energy project in McCain Valley begins Tuesday, January 3rd. A public notice has been issued cautioning users of McCain Valley Road, Lake Canyon Campground, Cottonwood Campground and the Off Highway Vehicle Area about temporary closures and traffic delays.

December 21, 2016 (San Diego) -- President Barack Obama, in an effort to cement his environmental preservation legacy, has taken action to protect vast areas from offshore oil drilling in the Arctic and along the East Coast.

The 1953 Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act allows presidents to withdraw lands from future leasing. It's been used by past administrations to restrict oil exploration on the West and East coasts, though those bans included expiration dates.

The action would be difficult for a Trump administration to reverse, since it utilizes a law, not an executive action.

December 20, 2016 (Los Angeles) – California’s Attorney General Kamala Harris and the Coastal Commission have filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of the Interior that seeks to prevent fracking, acidizing and other risky well treatments on the Pacific Outer Continental Shelf off the state’s coastline.

December 19, 2016 (Sacramento) -- Scientists have voiced alarm that the Trump administration might discontinue scientific research into climate science or even destroy decades of data amassed by the government. But now, scientists and California’s Governor Jerry Brown are pledging a fight to assure that climate science facts don’t disappear into a black hole.

December 16, 2016 (San Diego’s East County)—By a 4 to 1 vote with Supervisor Dave Roberts opposed, San Diego Supervisors on Wednesday voted to approve a Forest Conservation Initiative Lands General Plan Amendment, along with community plan amendments, rezoning and certification of a supplemental environmental review. The action paves the way for development of parcels in the Alpine and Descanso areas that were formerly protected under the Forest Conservation Initiative passed by voters, but that has since expired due to a sunset provision in 2010.

Travis Lyon, chair of the Alpine Community Planning Group, reports that the Supervisors “took all the recommendations ACPG made at the last meeting.”

Jack Shu, president of the Cleveland National Forest Foundation, said after the hearing, “The bottom line is that the County has moved to do away with what the voters – two thirds of them—wanted in 1993 to protect our local Forest."

December 15, 2016 (Washington D.C.) — Environmental leaders are bracing for an assault on environmental protections if several key appointees of President-Elect Donald Trump are confirmed by Congress. The appointees include an ExxonMobil CEO, Governors and legislators who have all denied climate change and lobbied for fossil fuel interests.

December 15, 2016 (Washington D.C.) – Wind energy companies will be immune from prosecution for up to 30 years, even if their wind turbines kill or injure up to 4,200 bald or golden eagles, under a new rule finalized this week by the Obama administration.

December 13, 2016 (San Diego) – Tomorrow., San Diego Supervisors will consider a general plan amendment that would allow additional development on some Forest Conservation Initiative Lands. These properties were protected for 20 years by a vote of the people countywide, but the measure had a sunset provision. The issue pits environmentalists’ conservation goals against rights of private property owners.

The hearing starts at 9 a.m. at the County Administration Center, Room 310, 1600 Pacific Highway, San Diego. Below are arguments on both sides of this contentious issue impacting inholding sites within or adjacent to the Cleveland National Forest.

December 11, 2016 (Ocotillo) – State Senator Ben Hueso (D-40th district) wants to know why a massive wind turbine collapsed on November 21st in Ocotillo on public land—and what will be done to prevent future such disasters.

In a letter to Beth O’Brien, Pattern Energy’s manager of external affairs, Senator Hueso notes that this is the third serious incident that has occurred at the Ocotillo Wind Energy Facilitiy since it opened approximately four years ago. Prior problems include a wind turbine that burst into flames and another that hurled a multi-ton blade onto a public trail.

He indicated that residents have contacted him with concerns and asked him to look into the matter. East County Magazine also contacted the Senator to ask what steps will be taken to protect public safety.

December 8, 2016 (Santa Barbara) --Two conservation organizations have filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court to protect fragile habitat and rare species in the path of a massive, remote fuel break recently approved in the Los Padres National Forest. The suit is also an effort to encourage the Los Padres National Forest to focus on reducing fire risk where it matters most, directly in and around communities.

December 7, 2016 (San Diego) -- Since 1965, Americans age 62 or older have been able to buy a senior lifetime pass, also called the Golden Age Passport and now The National Parks and Federal Recreation Lands Pass. It allows the holder and people in the car free entrance to federal recreational facilities plus half price camping in federal campgrounds. (Saves $30 at Yosemite for instance.) It’s good nationwide. Locally it takes the place of the National Forest Adventure Pass (Mt. Laguna for example).

More than 75 percent of new solar customers using “Fast Track” process

Source: SDG&E

December 6, 2016 (San Diego) - As of November 30, San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) has connected more than 100,000 private rooftop solar systems to its reliable power grid. This milestone comes as the company reports in November it connected 1,942 residential customer rooftops.

December 5, 2016 (San Diego's East County) - The Forest Conservation Initiative Lands General Plan Amendment (GPA) is scheduled for the December 14, 2016 San Diego County Board of Supervisors hearing agenda. The purpose of this hearing is for the Board of Supervisors to receive and consider the County of San Diego Department of Planning & Development Services report on the GPA and certification of the Final Supplemental Impact Report prepared for the GPA.

December 4, 2016 (Cannonball, North Dakota) — In a victory for the Standing Rock Sioux tribe and thousands of people who have converged in Cannonball, North Dakota to opposed the Dakota Access oil pipeline, the federal government has announced that it will not grant an easement to allow completion of the pipeline underneath Lake Oahe, a reservoir of the Missouri River.

November 29, 2016 (Campo)- If you’ve got a hankering to own a 2,160 acre cattle ranch, you may want to mosey on out to rural Campo and saddle up to see the Star Ranch. The large property is on the market—and the owner is willing to consider offers on any of nine parcels separately or together. (View offering proposal).

A 455-unit housing development has been proposed on the site, drawing opposition from some neighbors concerned about impacts on groundwater supplies, traffic and loss of rural character. Now the owner has put the site on the market-- and is giving neighbors the first opportunity to purchase all or part of the sprawling rural property.

November 27, 2016 (San Diego) - The Boulevard Planning Group voted unanimously to send a letter to County officials voicing concerns that the County’s Climate Action Plan and Comprehensive Renewable Energy Plan will adversely impact the Boulevard/Jacumba area, where mostly low-income residents have already been “disproportionately targeted” for 31 major energy–related projects planned, approved or built in the past decade, according to a letter signed by BPG Chair Donna Tisdale.

November 24, 2016 (San Diego) - Save green and enjoy the upside of outside with County Parks’ Green Friday events this weekend. The County Parks and Recreation Department has come up with a variety of fun activities starting Friday, Nov. 25 and stretching into Saturday, Nov. 26. Parking, or day-use fees, will be waived on Green Friday so visitors can picnic and play at dozens of parks, and explore 350 miles of trails for free!

November 22, 2016 (Ocotillo) – Ocotillo Wind Energy has issued a statement on its website after collapse of a massive wind turbine Monday at its Ocotillo, California energy project site. The statement indicates the turbine fell within the designed setback zone and no one was injured. Officials say they are working closely with Siemens, the manufacturer of the collapsed turbine, to identify the cause of the failure, with a “full investigation” underway. The company said safety is its “first priority” and that more information will be released as it becomes available, KYMA TV reports.

Both this project and Siemens have a history of serious problems, however, leading to questions of whether federal or state oversight is needed to protect public safety.

November 21, 2016 (Ocotillo) – A 500-foot-tall wind turbine at the Ocotillo Wind Energy Facility collapsed this morning, spewing debris and three blades each weighing many tons across the desert floor.

ECM photographer Jim Pelley, an Ocotillo resident, says 30 minutes after the collapse, the other 111 turbines were still spinning and no one from Pattern Energy had arrived. Around an hour or more after the collapse, Pattern arrived and deenergized the entire project.